Elevator



L. J. GEIER.

ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION EILED mm2?, 1919.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

flm'ms.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gli Verlor Leo J Geller,

J. GEER.

ELEVTOR.

APPLICATION FILED III/m21, 1919. l

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' -jnvehlor eo J Geber;

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UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

LEO J. GEIER, 0F ST. HENRY, OHIO.

ELEVATOR.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed March 27, 1919. Serial No. 285,528.

.more especially to portable grain elevators adapted for farm use.

An object of my invention is to provide an elevator mounted upon a truck and adapted to be operated by an engine or motor power which may also be utilized to propel the truck to move the elevator from place to place.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide an elevator mounted upon a turn-table upon the truck, thus adapting the same to a wide range of positions relative to bins, cribs or other containers to which grain or other materials are to be elevated .and delivered. The turn-table mounting of the elevator makes the same practically universal with respect to the positions in which the device may be operated and greatly minimizes the maneuvering of the truck required to properly position the elevator relative to the point at which thegrain is to be delivered.

The underlying purpose of my invention is to reduce and at the same time facilitate farm labor. The improved elevator is especially advantageous in the saving of time and labor in cribbing corn which is usually delivered from the field or husking machinery into storage cribs, the common practice being to shovel the corn manually from the wagon bed into the crib. The cribs are usually open at the top at an elevation considerably above the worker standing in the wagon bed. The method of delivering the corn into the crib is therefore slowV and laborious and enters very greatly into the cost of handling the grain.

With my improved elevator the handling of corn and other grains which are delivered into cribs or bins at an elevation is greatly facilitated with a minimum of labor resulting` in substantial savings in timeand cost.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved elevator showingrthe relation of the engine and transmission vmechanism `to the turntable and elevator mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine showing the method of adjusting the elevator carrier to the different angles at which the same may be operated;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3 8 of Fig. 2;

, Fig. 4 is a detailed side elevation of the elevator carrier and operating mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the carrie-r belt adjusting mechanism taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

F ig. 6 is across sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a detailed view of the carrier belt adjusting block,

As here shown, the elevator machinery is mounted upon front and rear trucks which may be of any suitable construction, the construction shown being for illustration purposes only. As shown, the rear truck consists of the ground wheels 1 secured to and rotating with a supporting axle 2the axle working in bearings 4 of the main frame 3.

The front truck preferably consists of the ground wheels supported on spindles 6 whichy have upwardly extending portions j ournaled in vertical bearings 7 provided in brackets 8 extended from the main frame 3. The ends of the vertical portions of .the spindles 6 project above the bearings 7 and are fitted Vwith arms 9 which are connected together at their free ends by a steering bar 10. One of the spindles 6 is further provided with an arm 11 which is connected to a hand wheel 12 through the steering shaft 13, connecting rod 14 and intermediate worm gear mechanism 15.

j The engine for propelling the truck and operating the elevator may be of any suitable type and is here shown conventionally for illustrating purposes only. The transmisysion mechanism from the engine to the rear tractor wheels consists of the belt wheel 16 which is loosely mounted upon transmission shaft 17 and connected by va suitable belt to Lthe engine. The main driving clutch 18 is slidably keyed to the shaft 17 and is shifted Yin and out of operative relation with the belt wheel 16 by a clutch lever 19 which may be connected with a shift rod 2O and operated from the front of the machine. n

The `drive shaft 17 is mounted in bearings 21 secured to the frame 3 andhas loosely mounted to a projecting end thereof a sprocket 22 which coperates with a sprocket 23 and chain 24, which traverses the sprockets, to propel the truck; the sprocket 22 being brought into driving relation with the shaft i7 by a clutch 25 which is oper-V Cooperating with the belt wheel 16 is an internal change gear mechanism 29, here shown in conventional form only for illustration purposes, for reversing the direction of travel of the truck. The change gear mechanism consists of the usual fixed gear secured to the drive shaft, an internal gear secured to the belt wheel, planetary gears carried by an idle pulley, and a brake band for preventing movement of the idle pulley and thereby reversing the normal direction of the drive shaft.

Thus it will be seen that by shifting the clutch 1S into operative relation with the belt wheel 16, and clutch 25 with sprocket 22, the truck may be driven in the forward direction, and by tightening the brake band on the idle pulley of the change gear mechanism, the direction of movement may be reversed.

The drive shaft 17 is further provided with loose beveled gears 8O and 3l meshing, respectively, with gears 32 and 33 and cooperating with a clutch 34e which is controlled by a clutch lever 35, and clutch rod 36 which extends to the front of the machine.

The gear 33 is connected by a worm gear drive mechanism to a vertical shaft 37, the mechanism consisting of the gear member 38 secured to the shaft 37, gear member 39 secured to a shaft l0 which is in two sections having its opposite end secured to the gear 33 and adapted to the angular relation between the gear and the worm gears by a knuckle joint Ll-l. This mechanism serves to operate the turn-table and the elevator thereon rotatively when the clutch Selis moved into operative relation with the gear 31.

The gear 32 is connected to a double-faced beveled gear l2 which is mounted to rotate freely upon the vertical shaft 37, by a gear l?) and shaft dal, the shaft being supported in suitable bearings secured to cross frame members 3a anc 3". Meshing with the upper gear portion of the double gear l2 is a gear 45 secured to a shaft e6 supported in bearings 47 mounted upon the turn-table frame; the outer projecting end of the shaft having secured thereto a sprocket gear 48. This mechanism constitutes the operating means for the grain feeding and carrier mechanism which will presently be described.

The turn-table of the machine consists of a substantially rectangular shaped frame disposed in a horizontal plane and consisting of frame members 49, 50, 5l and 52; the

side frame members 49 being secured to the central longitudinal frame meml ers 5l and 52 by the cross frame member 50. rlhe longitudinal frames l and 52 extend to the rear beyond the side frame pieces i9 and serve as a support for the elevator carrier.

rihe turn-table rotates with the vertical shaft 37, the lovend of the shaft being supported in suitable bearings secured to the cross frame members 3C, and the upper end of the shaft is secured to a bearing plate 55 which extends parallel with the frame members 5l and 52 and is secured thereto by cross frame pieces 56 and 57. rlhe main frame 3 has secured thereto a circular frame o8 which serves as a support and track for the outer portions of the turn-table frame. Also secured to the cross frame members 3C by bolts 59 is a circular bearing plate 60, and serves to support the central portion of the turn-table frame and mechanism.

Mounted upon the turn-table and secured to the frame thereof in any suitable manner is a rectangular-shaped grain box or hopper 62. rlhe central or bottom portion of the hopper is substantially flat and has traveling thereover a grain feeding device consisting of chain 63 having secured thereto vertically extending blades Gli. rlhe chain traverses sprockets 65 and 66, the sprocket G5 being supported ou shaft 67 having its bearings 68 secured to the turn-table longil tudinal frame members 5l and 52, and the sprocket 66 secured to a shaft 69 supported in bearings 70 secured to the opposite ends of the frames 451-52. Also supported on the extended ends of the turntable frames 51 and 52, iu suitable bearing supports 7l is the elevator carrier, the lower end of the carrier being pivotally supported iu-the bearing supports 7l by a shaft 72. The angular elevation of the carrier relative to the turn-table and truck may be regulated iu any suitable manner, byu cable 7 3 and worm .r mechanism 74l.

The carrier consists of a suitable frame construction forming a channel or trough substantially rectangularshaped in cross section and having operable therein an endless belt 75 provided with buckets 76, the belt traversing' drums 7 7 and 78 disposed at opposite ends of the carrier, the drum 77 being secured to the shaft 72 upon which the lower end of the carrier is givoted, and drum 78 being supported near the upper end of the carrier on a shaft 79. The carrier belt is operated from the driving sprocket 48 by means of a cha-in 80 traversing the sprocket 48 and a sprocket Slfast to the shaft 72 with which the drum 77 rotates. Secured to the opposite end of the shaft 72 is a sprocket 82 which is connected to the shaft 67 of the hopper feeding mechanism by a chain 83 and sprocket 84.

The grain hopper the turn-table has capacity, preferably for a load of corn, fty to sixty bushels, which may be delivered into the hopper at one time by any suitable arrangement for dumping the load. To prevent overflow or excessive feeding of the corn to the carrier mechanism the discharge livered thereby to the adjacent crib or bin in which the grain is being stored.

The stacker is preferably constructed in two sections. The upper section is pivoted or hinged to the lower section as shown at 86, for the purpose of changing the angle of elevation of the upper section relative to the lower section to permit of moving the machine through doors and-under structures with which the carrier might otherwise come in contact. This feature is for convenience in portability of the machine only, as it will be understood that the machine cannot be operated to elevate grain except when the carrier sections extend in the same longitudinal plane. The adjusting means for the upper end of the carrier, as here shown, consist of a cable S7 having one end secured to the upper section of the carrier and fastened to its other end an adjusting' bar 88 cooperating with a locking plate 89 secured to two posts 90 secured to and extending upwardly from the turn-table frame.

As best shown in Fig. 4L 0f the drawings the upper sprocket shaft 7 9 is supported in sliding bearings 91 secured to the sides of the elevato-r carrier on opposite sides thereof by guides 92, and having secured to their lower ends adjustable rods 93 which eX- tend vthrough guide brackets 94: and butt against supporting brackets 95 secured to the sides of the carrier. By means of the adjusting nuts 96 the bearings 91 may be raised or lowered in the guides 92, the brackets 95 and rods 93 serving to hold the bearings in their adjusted positions, and also permitting the pivotal movement of the upper section of the carrier and restoring the bearings to normal position when the carrier is again brought into operative alinement.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that my invention consists of a portable elevator which may be propelled and operated by an engine or other suitable source of power mounted upon the frame of the machine; that the elevator mechanism is preferably mounted on a turn-table or other suitable construction providing for positioning the elevator carrier at any angle relative to the supporting frame of the machine, whereby grain may be elevated and delivered to cribs or bins on either sidev or end of the machine; that the grain may be delivered to the elevator mechanism in wagon load quantities andgradually elevated and delivered to the crib or bin according to the capacity of the machine.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-- f

l. In grain elevator, the combination with a truck supported upon wheels, a turntable mounted upon the truck, an elevator mounted on the turn-table, a grainvhopper mounted on the turn-table and grain feeding connections between the hopper and the elevator, of self-actuating means to propel the truck and also to operate the turn-table, the elevator and the grain feeding connections either together or separately.

2. In a grain elevator, the combination with a truck supported upon wheels, a turntable mounted upon the truck, an elevator rotatably adjustable with the turn -table upon which it is mounted, a grain hopper mounted on Vthe turn-table and grain feeding connections between the hopper and the elevator, of actuating means to propel the truck andalso to operate the turn-table, the elevator carrier and the grain feeding connections either together or separately.

8. In a grain elevator, the `combination with the truck supported upon wheels, a turn-table mounted thereon, an elevator operable from any point of a circle and rotatably adjustable with the turn-table upon which it is mounted, a gra-in hopper mounted upon the turn-table and grain feeding connections between the hopper and the elevator carrier, of self-actuating means to propel the truck and also to operate the turn-table, the elevator carrier and the grain feeding connections, either together or separately.

1l. In a grain elevator, the combination with a truck supported upon wheels, a turntable mounted upon the truck, a grain hopper mounted upon the turn-table, grain feedingconnections between the hopper and the elevator and suitable motive power mounted npon the trucln of adjustable and controlling connections between said motive power and the turn-table, between the motive power and the elevator and between the truck and its wheels to propel the truck and also to operate the turn-table, the elevator and the gra-in connections either together or separately.

5. In a grain elevator, the combination with a truck supported upon wheels, a turntable mounted upon the truck, anV elevator mounted on the turn-table and adapted to be adjusted in a vertical plane relative to the supporting end thereof, a grain hopper mounted upon the turn-table, grain feeding connections and regulating,` devices between t Ae hopper and the elevator whereby delivery of the grain from the hopper to the elevator is effected and controlled, and suitable motive power mounted upon the truck, of adjustable and Controlling connections between the motive power and the turn-table between the motive power and the elevator and between the truck and its wheels to propel the truck and also to op erate the turn-table, the elevator and the grain feedingV connections either together or separately.

(l. n grain elevator, the combination with a truck supported upon wheels, a turn-table mounted upon the truck, an elevator mounted to rotate with said turntable and adapted to be adjusted in a vertiloal plane thereof at any point of a circle, the free end of the elevator being adapted to be adjusted in a vertical plane relative to the supporting end thereof, means to automatically adjust the elevator oonveyer when the free end is adjusted, a. grain hopper mounted on the turn-table, grain conveying connections between the hopper and the elevator and suitable motive power mounted on the truck, of adjustable and controlling oonneetions between said motive power and the turn-table, between the motive power and 'the elevator and between the truck and its wheels to propel the truck and also to operate the turn-table, the elevator and the gra-in feeding connection-s either together or separately.

ln testimony whereof I alx my signature.

LEO J. GEIER. 

